I know it is way too late for this, but I have a question about the physical effect of screaming

[Duer 157099]

on vocal cords.

Someone who had been screaming like (let's assume it was Martin, just for argument's sake here), would his vocal cords have demonstrated any inflammation or other evidence that could have been gathered but wasn't?

That ME Bao thinks he knows everything and that if he didn't observe it, it didn't exist. But did he examine the vocal cords? Is that a normal thing one would do in an autopsy?

Macabre topic, I know, but I've been wondering about it. Maybe for the next ME in the next case.

[targetpractice]

1. Interesting thought. Problem is...

…Trayvon lost so much blood before any inflammation or bruising would be evident post-mortem. I wonder if your idea of examining vocal cords is a forensic technique beyond strangulation.

Whenever I've "screamed real loud"… I've always been hoarse afterwards. Zimmerman was not.

[davidpdx]

2. I can't answer your question about screaming exactly

But as an undergrad I was a communications major. One requirement was to take a class on the speech and hearing side of the department. When I took the class the instructor told us when you clear your throat really hard it is like taking your vocal cords and slamming them into each other.

Several famous singers have had to undergo surgery on the vocal cords because of the harsh way they were used.

So I suppose theoretically that if the screaming were so loud and so long in one instance it could damage them. It would take a lot of force though.

[arcane1]

3. I know this:

If you're on your back and someone is straddling you, and rapidly pushing you up and down to bang your head into the pavement 20 times, it will have an effect on your breathing, and thus your ability to utter continuous screams.

[Just Saying]

4. The screams seemed pretty continuous to me.

And I can't imagine how someone would scream like that while having their mouth and nose covered.

Anyway on the OP, I'm not sure if the ME would check for something like that and even though the screaming sounded terrified, I don't know if it went on long enough to damage to Trayvon's vocal cords.

[Igel]

5. I think you'd expect some changes in them after a really intense scream.

However, those changes would take a while to show up. I'd expect a bit of swellnig around the cartilage that is the vocal folds. One-time scream, probably no inflammation or very, very minor.

Unless there was so much tension that it damaged them immediately, but I'd think that's really, really rare.

If it were GZ, they could have checked a while later--hours, perhaps a day.

TM, the process that would lead to swelling would stop soon after death.

I rather doubt an ME would example the vocal folds. He might examine some of the bones and cartilage around the area--hyoid, cricoid, and other bits whose names I've long forgotten or barely knew when I had phonetics--but that would be for things like a blow to the throat or somethat that crushed or constricted the neck. I think most pathologists would find the vocal folds boring.